The Class A West Michigan Whitecaps rode a record-setting pitching staff to the best winning percentage of any full-season Minor League club and were selected by fans and MiLB.com staff as the top team in 2017.Full story »

29%

West Michigan Whitecaps

Whitecaps win both halves, finish 13 games better than MWL foes

MLB Affiliation: Tigers

West Michigan's 2.77 ERA paced the Midwest League and led the Whitecaps to a remarkable 91-45 record along with first- and second-half division titles, although the Tigers affiliate was dispatched by Dayton in the playoffs.

Durham Bulls

Bulls cap title-winning season with National Championship

MLB Affiliation: Rays

Durham finished a half-game behind Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the International League's best record but got revenge on the RailRiders with a 3-1 series win in the IL Finals before topping Memphis to claim the Triple-A National Championship.

Lynchburg Hillcats

Hillcats share Mills Cup after dominant regular season

MLB Affiliation: Indians

Lynchburg won the Carolina League North in both halves of the season and had three of the circuit's top five pitchers in ERA, including No. 2 Indians prospect Triston McKenzie. The Hillcats split the league crown with Down East after Hurricane Irma canceled the Finals, taking their first title since 2012.

11%

Memphis Redbirds

Redbirds dominate division, win first title in eight years

MLB Affiliation: Cardinals

Led by the circuit's top pitching staff, even after the Major League promotions of Jack Flaherty and Luke Weaver, Memphis won its division by 22 games and emerged victorious in the Pacific Coast League Finals before losing the Triple-A National Championship to Durham.

Tampa Yankees

T-Yanks go 46-19, roll to second-half title

MLB Affiliation: Yankees

With Florida State League OBP and OPS leader Nick Solak and the league's top pitching staff in terms of ERA, Tampa finished the season on a roll before losing a doubleheader to Dunedin in the semifinals to miss out on an opportunity for a split title with Palm Beach.

7%

Bluefield Blue Jays

Blue Jays post highest non-complex winning percentage

MLB Affiliation: Blue Jays

As one of the Appalachian League's top teams both at the plate and on the mound, Bluefield rolled to a 46-22 regular-season record and was the lone MiLB team to win at least 67 percent of its games, although the Blue Jays lost to Pulaski in the semifinals.

4%

Chattanooga Lookouts

Lookouts enjoy wire-to-wire dominance of Southern League

MLB Affiliation: Twins

Not only did Chattanooga lead the Southern League in both runs scored and ERA on its way to first- and second-half division titles, it also became co-champions on a two-run, walk-off homer against Montgomery by Jonathan Rodriguez, who paced the circuit with a .939 OPS.

Trenton Thunder

Behind the Eastern League's only pitching staff to post a sub-3.00 ERA, Trenton won more regular-season games than any team in the Minor Leagues before getting swept by Altoona in the Finals.

2%

Orem Owlz

Owlz post Pioneer League's best regular-season record

MLB Affiliation: Angels

Led by Torii Hunter and Manuel Guzman, Orem had the circuit's top offense throughout the regular season before being swept out of the playoffs in the semifinals by eventual champion Ogden, who topped Great Falls to take the title.

San Antonio Missions

Missions' mound work leads to Texas League's top record

MLB Affiliation: Padres

In addition to the presence of Padres top infield prospect Luis Urias and, eventually, Fernando Tatis Jr., San Antonio rode a league-best 3.28 ERA to a great regular season before bowing out of the playoffs against perennial power Midland, which won its fourth straight title.

Best Farm System

Despite the graduation of young stars like Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, the Yankees have built their farm system into one of the best, boastiing top overall prospect Gleyber Torres and sending six affiliates to the playoffs in 2017. The White Sox, who currently have six top-100 prospects, earned the fan vote.Full story »

20%

Chicago White Sox

Reconstructed system packed with high-ceiling prospects after trades

The White Sox have rebuilt their farm system in the last year, dealing Major League stars for some of baseball's best prospects. Even with Yoan Moncada and Lucas Giolito graduating, Chicago has six top-100 prospects -- including outfielder Eloy Jimenez (No. 4) and right-hander Michael Kopech (No. 9). While White Sox affiliates posted just a .442 winning percentage, the system had an outstanding season from a player-development perspective.

16%

Philadelphia Phillies

Rebuilding process paying dividends for Phils

The Phillies finished last in the NL East for the third time in four years, but the fruits of their rebuild are starting to make a difference. They have seven top-100 prospects -- only Atlanta boasts more -- and got breakout seasons from Scott Kingery (26 homers and 29 steals with Gold Glove defense at second) and Rhys Hoskins (18 homers in his first 34 MLB games), while J.P. Crawford rebounded with a strong second half in Triple-A.

14%

St. Louis Cardinals

Record-setting season in Memphis produces first PCL title since 2009

The Cardinals were dealt a huge blow before Spring Training when right-hander Alex Reyes, one of the top pitching prospects in the game, suffered a torn elbow ligament. Despite the setback, the Cardinals system still had a strong season in which Triple-A Memphis won its division by 22 games en route to the PCL championship, Palm Beach claimed a share of the FSL crown and righty Jack Flaherty emerged as a top-flight prospect.

12%

Toronto Blue Jays

Major League offspring give Jays the Minors' most exciting prospect duo

Toronto only had three affiliates reach the postseason, but two of them -- Dunedin and Vancouver -- won championships. The Jays only have three prospects among MLB.com's top 100, but two of them -- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette -- finished first and second in on-base percentage, respectively, among all full-season Minor Leaguers. The teenaged duo also helped Dunedin earn a share of the Florida State League title.

10%

New York Yankees

Reigning system of the year returns with another outstanding season

Just behind the Twins with a .586 overall winning percentage, the Yankees sent six affiliates to the postseason and captured the Gulf Coast League crown. Despite dealing away prospects like Dustin Fowler, Jorge Mateo and Blake Rutherford to bolster the big club's playoff run, the Yankees remain stacked with six top-100 prospects, including top overall prospect Gleyber Torres.

9%

Atlanta Braves

Organization aggressively promotes young arms toward big leagues

The Braves system did not have a great season in the standings -- its affiliates posted a .450 winning percentage overall, and none reached the playoffs -- but it is stacked with eight top-100 prospects, headlined by Breakout Prospect candidate Ronald Acuna and top arm Kolby Allard. As the saying goes, you can never have too much pitching, and the Braves have the deepest pool to pick from.

9%

Los Angeles Dodgers

MLB's winningest team features strong farm as well

Not only do the Dodgers have the Majors' best record, their farm system continued to produce big-league talent. Cody Bellinger debuted in late April and became the NL Rookie of the Year favorite. MLB.com's No. 10 prospect, right-hander Walker Buehler, rose from Class A Advanced to the Majors. And the Dodgers' affiliates won games at a .562 clip, sent three teams to the postseason and earned a Pioneer League title in Ogden.

6%

Tampa Bay Rays

Rays snag two titles as Bulls rule again in International League

In 20 seasons since joining the IL in 1998, the Durham Bulls have had just four losing seasons. They've lost in the Governors' Cup Finals six times and won five titles -- including this season, when top prospects Brent Honeywell and Willy Adames helped the Bulls win their second Triple-A Championship. Class A Short Season Hudson Valley added a second league title by sweeping Vermont in the New York-Penn League Finals.

3%

Minnesota Twins

Minors' best winning percentage translates to two league crowns

Twins affiliates sported the top winning percentage in the Minors at .592 -- that's 96 wins out of every 162 for their seven clubs -- and won titles in the Southern (Chattanooga) and Appy League (Elizabethton, for a record 11th time). Minnesota also brought top overall Draft pick Royce Lewis into the fold and enjoyed strong seasons from three other top-100 prospects.

1%

San Diego Padres

Tatis Jr., Chihuahuas headline solid year for Friars

Triple-A El Paso just missed pulling off a rare Pacific Coast League repeat, but the Padres enjoyed a fine season highlighted by the rise of 18-year-old shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. from Class A straight to Double-A San Antonio after bashing 21 homers for Fort Wayne. San Diego features seven top-100 prospects after adding third overall Draft pick MacKenzie Gore, who fanned 34 batters in his first 21 1/3 pro innings.

Dodgers prospect DJ Peters took rehabbing Giants ace Madison Bumgarner yard twice in the same inning of a California League contest to earn the MiLBY for Best Performance. Connor Grey's perfecto for the Class A Cougars was the fans' pick.Full story »

Tossing 70 of 100 pitches for strikes, D-backs prospect Connor Grey finished off the first perfect game in franchise history for Class A Kane County. It was one of two complete games he threw during the 2017 season, and it was the Cougars' first no-hitter since May 17, 2014. More »

Cincinnati prospect Tyler Mahle made history in the Southern League's first nine-inning perfect game since 1970. On April 22, the righty retired all 27 batters he faced, striking out eight and only going to one three-ball count in the process as Double-A Pensacola needed just one run to edge Mobile. More »

In his final trip to the plate on July 31, Dayton outfielder Jose Siri laced a base hit in the eighth inning at Parkview Field to extend his hitting streak to 36 games and set a new Midwest League record. The Reds No. 24 prospect saw his streak come to an end four days later with some controversy. More »

Giants prospect records first nine-inning perfect game in league history

Just three days after Tyler Mahle made history, Giants prospect Domenic Mazza matched the feat with Class A Augusta. He struck out five in a row at one point on his way to nine Ks and threw just 85 pitches -- 60 for strikes -- to complete the first nine-inning perfect game in South Atlantic League history. More »

It seemed like a tall order for Rancho Cucamonga on July 5, facing rehabbing San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner. It was anything but for D.J. Peters, who hammered two homers in one inning as the Quakes chased Bumgarner and romped past San Jose, 14-1. More »

Jay Feliciano and the Rookie-level Helena Brewers had a night they won't soon forget on Sept. 4. The 21-year-old outfielder served as catalyst for a 20-run uprising, going 5-for-6 with two homers and nine RBIs in a 20-13 win over Missoula. More »

Pitching in front of his father and girlfriend, Phillies prospect Nick Fanti rose to the occasion for Class A Lakewood. The 20-year-old southpaw retired 27 of the 28 batters he faced, striking out a career-high 12 and tossing a no-hitter for his first career complete game. More »

In the midst of one of his best performances of the season, Dustin Fowler was given a chance to add to it. The outfielder had a single, double and triple heading into extra innings and came through with a walk-off homer to finish the cycle and win one for the RailRiders. More »

Thairo Estrada knew his mission in his final trip to the plate and made sure he accomplished it. Racing to a double in the ninth, Estrada finished off his first career cycle to lead Double-A Trenton to a Sept. 8 victory at Binghamton, leveling the Eastern League semifinals. More »

Carlos Castro called it "just one of those days," and Daytona starters may have felt the same in reverse. Florida's first baseman connected on three homers and plated eight on a perfect 5-for-5 afternoon as Class A Advanced Florida crushed Daytona, 14-2, in a May 10 matchup. More »

Game of the Year

Like a heavyweight fight that goes the distance, Albuquerque's Ryan McMahon and Fresno's Tyler White turned a Pacific Coast League contest into their own main event -- combining for 10 hits and 13 RBIs on June 16. A two-day marathon between Lexington and Delmarva won the fan vote.Full story »

21%

Gasparini quickly ends marathon

Royals prospect homers to end two-day affair

Five hours and 51 minutes weren't enough to decide the game between Class A Lexington and Delmarva as play was suspended after 20 innings due to a storm. Four pitches into the following day's resumption, Marten Gasparini hit the go-ahead homer for the visitors. More »

19%

Tebow tees off in first at-bat

Mets farmhand rips two-run blast in MiLB debut

In a moment almost too surreal to believe, Tim Tebow began his professional baseball career with an opposite-field home run in his first at-bat for Class A Columbia. Was there any doubt the former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback would kick off his career in memorable fashion? More »

RockHounds make history

Midland clinches championship with three straight must-wins

They did it the hard way, but Double-A Midland rallied from a 2-0 deficit to become the first team to win four straight Texas League titles in nearly a century. The RockHounds evened the best-of-5 series and plated the winning run on Viosergy Rosa's single early in Game 5. More »

Lookouts win in 21 innings

Walk-off walk keeps Southern League mark intact

It took 23 hits, 12 walks and 42 strikeouts before a winner was crowned in this five-and-a-half-hour affair at AT&T Field. Levi Michael's bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 21st ended the game two innings shy of the Southern League record set in 1973 and matched in 1998. More »

10%

Varsho homers before, after eclipse

Hillsboro catcher makes history with impeccable timing

No one will soon forget August 21's coast-to-coast solar eclipse, including D-backs prospect Daulton Varsho. The 21-year-old backstop homered in the top of the first inning against Salem-Keizer, just before the game paused 58 minutes in affiliated baseball's first-ever eclipse delay. He then notched the first multi-homer game of his career by going deep again in the sixth, completing a feat that may never be duplicated. More »

6%

Thunder combine on playoff no-no

Late scoring change helps Trenton make history

Maybe it was good that Taylor Widener didn't know he had history in his hands until he had already made it. Relieving Justus Sheffield in the fifth, a scoring change turned a second-inning hit into an error and ratcheted up the pressure in an already tense Eastern League playoff matchup. More »

River Cats record 13-run inning

Calixte stars with multiple career highs in Sac-town explosion

A 6-3 deficit was quickly erased when Triple-A Sacramento dropped a 13-spot on Colorado Springs in the top of the seventh on May 11. The River Cats' first seven batters reached base before an out was recorded as Orlando Calixte delivered two run-scoring hits in the frame and Chris Marrero capped the outburst with a three-run homer. More »

4%

Nats toss double no-nos

Four pitchers combine on 14 hitless frames

No-hitters aren't all that rare in Minor League baseball. But no-hitters in both games of a doubleheader? The GCL Nationals did just that on July 23 as Jared Johnson, Gilberto Chu, Jose Jimenez and Joan Baez held the Marlins without a hit during the teams' twin bill. More »

3%

Walker's cycle spurs comeback

Late-game comeback gives D-backs prospect shot to play hero

With his Reno squad down six runs entering the ninth, Christian Walker was a single and a double shy of the cycle. His knock in the ninth started a six-run rally, allowing him to bat again in the 11th and complete the first Aces' cycle since 2011. More »

White, Grizzlies outslug Isotopes

White, McMahon trade blows in epic slugfest

Fresno's Tyler White went 5-for-6 with six RBIs and finished a triple shy of the cycle while Albuquerque's Ryan McMahon drove in a career-high seven runs and had five hits of his own, including two homers, in an epic 15-14 Grizzlies win. More »

Breakout Prospect

Top Braves prospect Ronald Acuna climbed three levels in 2017 and is now knocking on the door to the Majors as a 19-year-old, an ascent reminiscent of a former Atlanta phenom. Fellow teen sensation Bo Bichette won the fan vote after leading the Minors with a .362 average.Full story »

Taken 66th overall in the 2016 Draft, Bichette is now baseball's No. 25 overall prospect after leading the Minors with a .362 average between Class A Lansing and Class A Advanced Dunedin. There were doubts that the 19-year-old middle infielder's violent swing would translate to the pro game, but Bichette showed impressive bat-to-ball skills that made his plate appearances consistent must-follows in 2017.

The No. 2 Red Sox prospect entered the season with only 25 career Minor League home runs on his resume. He went deep 31 times in 2017 between Class A Advanced Salem and Double-A Portland, putting him in a tie for fifth in the Minors. Though Rafael Devers officially graduated in 2017, the Red Sox have another top-100 prospect manning the hot corner thanks to Chavis' powerful showing.

A second-round pick in 2015, Kingery was known primarily for his speed and solid defense at second entering the campaign. He significantly rounded out his game this season by hitting .304/.359/.530 with a career-high 26 homers in 132 games between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, to go along with 29 stolen bases. After jumping from No. 11 to No. 3 in an impressive Phillies system, the 23-year-old is a big part of Philadelphia's future.

Acuna wasn't a top-100 prospect at the beginning of the year after a broken hand limited him to 42 games in 2016. He's now MLB.com's No. 5 prospect after climbing three levels and dominating each one. His most impressive work came at Triple-A Gwinnett, where he hit .344/.393/.548 in 54 games. The 19-year-old outfielder is looking like a five-tool star after the jumps he made at each stop in 2017.

Florial signed for only $200,000 in 2015 and struggled in his move stateside in 2016 with a .225 average and .679 OPS at Rookie-level Pulaski. He took off in 2017, however, and has climbed from No. 17 in the Yankees system to No. 3 after showing impressive hit, power and run tools, along with an exceptional arm and range in the outfield. The Yankees even promoted the 19-year-old to Double-A Trenton for the postseason.

Flaherty -- the 34th overall pick in the 2014 Draft -- had shown promise before, but the 21-year-old right-hander truly popped in 2017, riding a 2.18 ERA with 147 strikeouts in 148 2/3 innings at Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis to earn a Major League debut. The Cardinals starter saw his velocity spike into the mid-90s this season and jumped to the No. 47 spot in MLB.com's prospect rankings after starting the season unranked.

The 19-year-old right-hander has become one of the Minors' most electric arms, not just because of his triple-digit fastball but because he can spot it incredibly well. Sanchez walked only 18 batters while posting a 3.03 ERA in 95 innings between Class A Lakewood and Class A Advanced Clearwater in 2017. He's jumped to No. 47 overall in MLB.com's rankings and could climb even higher.

The Cubs system has been diminished by graduations and trades, but the ascension of Alzolay shows that talent still remains in the pipeline. The 22-year-old right-hander wasn't among the organization's top-30 prospects at the outset of 2017 but has jumped all the way to No. 3 after posting a 2.99 ERA in 114 1/3 innings for Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach and Double-A Tennessee.

Son of the 11-year Major Leaguer, Tatis did plenty to make his own name during his first campaign at a full-season level. The 18-year-old shortstop showed one of the best power-speed combinations in the Minors with 21 homers and 29 steals at Class A Fort Wayne and skipped over Class A Advanced to move straight to Double-A San Antonio. Outside the top 100 to start the season, he's now MLB.com's No. 51 overall prospect.

The Padres may have gone over the top to sign the 6-foot-8 right-hander out of Cuba for $3 million, but he quickly showed that he might be worth the investment. Baez struck out 82 and walked only eight over 58 2/3 innings at Class A Fort Wayne thanks to impressive control, a high-90s fastball and an above-average slider. He wasn't among the Padres' top 30 prospects at the beginning of 2017 but now finds himself at No. 7 -- and No. 94 overall.

On Aug. 21, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes staged baseball's first-ever "eclipse delay." The ballpark blackout highlighted EclipseFest, the runaway winner for the 2017 Promo of the Year MiLBY award.Full story »

66%

EclipseFest

When the moon blocked out the sun, the Volcanoes were ready

The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes were the first of six Minor League teams in the solar eclipse's path of totality, and they capitalized with a four-game EclipseFest. The highlight was, of course, a ballgame on the morning of the eclipse complete with an eclipse delay due to darkness. More »

7%

Redband Rally

Working together to save an iconic fish

The Indians, working in conjunction with a variety of local partners, played a series of "Redband Rally" games in support of the Redband Trout that live in the Spokane River. The team wore special Redband uniforms and was cheered on by mascot Ribby the Trout. More »

6%

Alternative Facts Night

The truth is out there, but why pay attention to it?

Capitalizing on our current era of political discourse, the SeaWolves dedicated a ballgame to a not-entirely-plausible alternate reality. The evening's giveaway was a replica championship ring celebrating an undefeated 2016 season that may or may not have happened. More »

5%

Green Chile Cheeseburgers (vs. Fresno Tacos)

An evening-long ode to a New Mexico culinary staple

People in New Mexico put green chile on everything, and the Isotopes celebrated this spicy tendency by temporarily rechristening themselves the "Green Chile Cheeseburgers." Their opponent was another food-themed alter-ego: the Fresno Tacos. More »

5%

Bob Ross Night

A happy little tribute to the beloved PBS artist

Joy of Painting host Bob Ross, a Daytona native, became the focus of one of the year's most-publicized promos. The Tortugas staged a "Bob Ross Happy Little 5K," hosted ballpark painting classes and, of course, gave away Bob Ross bobbleheads. More »

4%

Muhammad Ali Appreciation Night

Louisville Bats honor "The Greatest," a native son

On June 3, the first anniversary of Muhammad Ali's death, his hometown Minor League team staged a tribute to The Greatest. The team took the field wearing Ali specialty jerseys, a fitting kickoff to the Louisville's citywide "I am Ali" festival. More »

3%

World's Largest Silly String Fight

Never before has a ballpark been so messy

The RiverDogs, living dangerously, distributed 4,025 cans of Silly String to a Saturday night crowd. During the seventh-inning stretch, these cans were shot off at once. The result was a riot of airborne color, followed by a stadium clean-up job that lasted until morning. More »

2%

Ode to Tommy John Surgery Statue

Saluting a medical procedure with one UCL of a giveaway

The P-Nats celebrated baseball's most infamous surgery by giving away a one-of-a-kind statue, featuring an elbow with a removable ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). The intent? To showcase how Tommy John surgery has extended the careers of players throughout baseball. More »

1%

Dia De Los Hooks

Day of the Dead is a celebration of life

The Hooks commemorated the Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) with "Dia de los Hooks." This three-game celebration featured specialty uniforms with a custom skull logo, themed giveaways, mariachi music and a ballpark "community altar." More »

1%

'A League of Their Own' Night

Celebrating the Rockford Girls' Professional Ball Club, with Hooch herself

Akron celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 1990s classic A League of Their Own by giving away Marla Hooch "What a Hitter!" bobbleheads. On hand to sign these bobbleheads was actress Marla Cavanaugh, none other than Hooch herself. More »

Photographer/college student Kaitlyn Cole had to get a little dirty to capture her MiLBY-winning image at this year's Midwest League Home Run Derby. "I was lying on the ground, right on the dirt in front of the seats behind home plate," she said.Full story »

24%

Rincon takes center stage

Kaitlyn Cole/Great Lake Loons

Great Lakes' Carlos Rincon put on a show at the 2017 Midwest League Home Run Derby on June 19 -- the 19-year-old edged Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with 38 dingers.

Top Relief Pitcher

With confidence and deception, Twins left-hander Gabriel Moya posted a 0.77 ERA and was perfect in save opportunities across two systems, earning a September callup to Minnesota as well as a Top Relief Pitcher MiLBY. Yankees right-hander Raynel Espinal enjoyed a breakout 2017 and secured the fan vote.Full story »

Climbing three levels in his first full season at age 25, Espinal led all MiLBY reliever nominees with 93 strikeouts while walking 15 over 74 1/3 innings. Espinal gave up only nine hits over eight Florida State League games and seven hits over nine games in the Double-A Eastern League. He didn't allow a walk in 16 of his 27 total appearances.

Picked out of Northwestern Ohio in the 15th round last year, the Detroit-area native was dominant in 27 games with the Tigers' Class A affiliate. Schreiber throws from a three-quarter arm angle, and his fastball features sink action, which helped him strike out 70 and post a 0.66 WHIP over 50 1/3 innings.

Hammer didn't let a midseason trade from the Rockies affect his performance. With a fastball that reaches the high-90s with ease and a sharp, late-breaking slider, the 23-year-old recovered from a rough spell in the Cal League by posting a 0.57 ERA in 12 FSL appearances with the Threshers.

Poche was a 14th-round pick last summer, and in his first full season as a pro he blistered the Class A Midwest League, fanning 44 over 24 2/3 innings. Moving up to the hitter-friendly California League, he punched out 37 over 25 2/3 innings while posting a 1.40 ERA and .163 batting average against.

Williams put together a breakout campaign in his fourth pro season, allowing runs in only three of his 30 appearances and going unscored upon from June 11 to Sept. 3. In fact, the 23-year-old didn't allow so much as a hit over his final four outings and surrendered just one home run all season.

Anderson had the finest of his three years in the Twins system, allowing two runs over 15 games at Class A Advanced and four runs over 29 Double-A contests. The 27-year-old started out in indy ball in 2012 but has held hitters to a .181 average during his time in the Minors -- and a .173 mark this year.

An outfielder for his first five and a half seasons, Ramirez has recorded outs on the mound with the passion of a convert. This year was his best yet on the bump, and it netted him a September callup. The 26-year-old refused to allow an earned run over 18 Double-A appearances, then turned in seven shutout appearances at Triple-A.

The only Minor Leaguer with more than 21 saves and a sub-2.30 ERA, Moya didn't miss a beat following a late-July trade from the D-backs to the Twins, remaining perfect in save opportunities. The 22-year-old earned mid- and postseason All-Star honors for his efforts.

After converting all 13 of his save opportunities and posting a 0.72 ERA over 21 games in the Double-A Southern League, Curtiss kept hitters off balance in the Triple-A International League, putting up a 1.85 ERA and recording six saves in seven chances. The 24-year-old hits 98 with his fastball.

Romero climbed three levels this year, allowing a total of 15 hits to limit his opponents to a .109 batting average and convert four of four save opportunities. The 22-year-old was especially strong in the Midwest League (the most competitive circuit he reached), allowing two runs -- one earned -- over 13 outings for South Bend.

Top Offensive Player

Blue Jays No. 2 prospect Bo Bichette burst onto the scene in 2017, leading the Minor Leagues with a .362 average between Class A Lansing and Class A Advanced Dunedin -- all at the age of 19. Rockies No. 3 prospect Ryan McMahon climbed from Double-A to the Majors and took the fan vote.Full story »

McMahon produced an impressive .326/.390/.536 line over the first two months of the season with Double-A Hartford and only got better after earning a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque. The 55th-ranked prospect in baseball batted .374/.411/.612 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs in the Pacific Coast League. McMahon was leading the Minors with 152 hits at the time of his first promotion to the big leagues on Aug. 11.

The power surge Hoskins provided in his first month with Philadelphia was a continuation of his dominance in the International League. The 24-year-old led the Triple-A circuit in RBIs and finished third in homers despite playing in just 115 games. With his Minor League career likely over, he produced a .287/.375/.532 line with 93 homers and 337 RBIs during his four years there.

Bichette needed just 70 games with Class A Lansing to lock up Midwest League MVP and Prospect of the Year honors, batting .384/.448/.623 with 10 homers and 51 RBIs. On July 10, the Blue Jays gave the game's No. 25 prospect a promotions to Class A Advanced Dunedin, where he hit .323/.379/.463 to lead the Minors with a combined full-season average of .362.

Guerrero hit his way out of the shadow of fellow Jays prospect Bo Bichette, earning a jump from Class A Lansing to Class A Advanced Dunedin at just 18 years old. Baseball's No. 3 prospect batted .333/.425/.485 over his final 48 games in the Florida State League, finishing fourth on the circuit in that span with a .944 OPS. Guerrero earned Midwest League All-Star honors before leading Dunedin to a share of the Florida State League title.

Hays produced nearly identical -- and impressive -- numbers at Class A Advanced Frederick and Double-A Bowie. In 64 games at each level, he delivered 86 hits, 155 total bases and 16 homers -- finishing second in the Minors with 32 dingers. Hays earned Baltimore's Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year Award after getting his first call to the Majors straight out of Double-A.

At 19 years old, Acuna's three-level jump was reminiscent of the path blazed by former Braves All-Star Andruw Jones. MLB.com's fifth-ranked prospect got better as he climbed the organizational ladder, improving his .287 average with Class A Advanced Florida to .326 with Double-A Mississippi. Acuna was the International League leader with a .940 OPS over the final 54 games of the season with Triple-A Gwinnett.

Though he's insisted he isn't a power hitter, Kingery consistently proved himself wrong. The No. 49 prospect in baseball crushed 18 homers with Double-A Reading -- 10 more than his previous career total -- before earning a promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. His power tapered off a bit, but Kingery still hit at a .294/.337/.449 clip while setting an IronPigs' record with a 23-game hitting streak in August.

A Minor League veteran, Walker was named Pacific Coast League MVP after posting career highs in several offensive categories. The 26-year-old led the Minors with 114 RBIs and 75 extra-base hits and finished in a three-way tie for second with 32 homers, setting Reno's franchise record. His 2017 numbers were an improvement on the .264/.321/.437 line, 18 homers and 64 RBIs he provided last season with Norfolk.

Calhoun set career highs in every offensive category in his first Triple-A season without letting a trade from the Dodgers organization to the Rangers slow his progress. MLB.com's No. 59 prospect bashed 23 homers before the trade and improved on his .298/.357/.574 line with Oklahoma City by batting .310/.345/.566 in the final 29 games with Round Rock. His 31 total roundtrippers were tied for fifth in the Minors.

After becoming the first teenager since 2010 to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases in the Midwest League, the Padres promoted Tatis two levels from Class A Fort Wayne to Double-A San Antonio. MLB.com's No. 51 prospect batted .281/.390/.520 with 69 RBIs and a TinCaps-record 21 homers. The 18-year-old had a more difficult time in the Texas League but still showed glimpses of star power in a short 14-game sample.

Top Starting Pitcher

D-backs No. 2 prospect Jon Duplantier dominated his way to a MiLBY in his first full season, leading the entire Minor Leagues with a 1.56 ERA while finishing third in strikeouts. Zack Littell, dealt during the year from the Yankees to the Twins, compiled an uncanny 19-1 record over two levels and won the fans' vote.Full story »

Wins and losses may not hold as much value for pitchers as they once did, but Littell's record accurately portrays his dominance this season. The 21-year-old starred for three teams across two levels and two organizations as he piled up the most wins in the Minor Leagues. After falling to 1-1 on April 21, he did not suffer another loss all season.

A relatively unheralded 2016 fourth-round pick, Burnes burst onto the scene with a stellar campaign. The 22-year-old turned in the Minors' third-best ERA and its lowest WHIP at 0.95 while splitting his time between Class A Advanced Carolina and Double-A Biloxi.

Sodders got off to a flying start this season with Class A West Michigan, posting a 7-0 record with a 1.40 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings during the first half. That success followed him to Class A Advanced Lakeland in the second half, allowing the 2016 seventh-round pick to set career highs in wins, ERA and strikeouts.

In his debut season with the White Sox following a blockbuster offseason trade from the Red Sox, Kopech delivered on the hype. The 21-year-old righty notched the second-most punchouts in the Minors -- second only to fellow Chicago hurler Alec Hansen -- while surpassing 100 innings for the first time in his pro career.

Bieber's numbers aren't as eye-popping as those of the other pitchers on this list, but none of them can touch his command. The 2016 fourth-rounder walked 0.5 batters per nine innings across three levels in 2017. He did his best work at his highest level, posting a 2.32 ERA, 49 strikeouts and just five walks over 54 1/3 frames for Double-A Akron.

Mahle was practically untouchable over the first month of the season, allowing two runs over 32 2/3 innings in April. The 23-year-old kept it going all summer long, even after moving up to Triple-A Louisville from Double-A Pensacola. A perfect game on April 22 and a big league debut in August made for a memorable season for the California native.

In his second season after being taken in the second round of the 2016 Draft, Hansen led the Minors in strikeouts by more than doubling his total from 2016. The 22-year-old University of Oklahoma product began the season with Class A Kannapolis before working his way to Double-A Birmingham for his final two outings.

Flaherty piled up the second-most wins in the Minors this season, racking up 14 victories. The 21-year-old posted a 2.74 ERA in 15 starts for Triple-A Memphis down the stretch in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League before reaching the big leagues for the first time on Sept. 1.

Duplantier opened 2017 with all of one Minor League inning on his resume. In what amounted to his first pro season, the 2016 third-rounder led the Minors in ERA and ranked third in strikeouts. He posted a 1.56 ERA while fanning 87 in 63 1/3 innings after a midseason promotion to the California League, one of the Minors' most hitter-friendly circuits.

Pitching with three different teams across two levels, Gonzalez rolled to the second-lowest ERA in the Minors. Not even a deadline deal that sent him from the Mets to the Marlins for reliever A.J. Ramos could slow down the 21-year-old. He went 1-0 with a 1.11 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 24 1/3 frames with Class A Advanced Jupiter after the trade.

A soaring grab in foul territory by Aberdeen left fielder T.J. Nichting, who somehow held onto the ball after a perfectly timed leap landed him in the stands, secured the fans' vote for the best play of the Minor League season.Full story »

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Nichting gets acquainted with a fan

Aberdeen's T.J. Nichting became one with the crowd to get his pitcher out of trouble, racing into foul territory and leaping into the stands for an inning-ending catch before knocking over an understanding and appreciative fan.

Guillorme again puts glove on display

Dermody dodges disaster to snare comebacker

Flashing impressive instincts, Buffalo's Matt Dermody reacted quickly to a line drive up the middle off the bat of Columbus' Jordan Smith, reaching his glove between his legs to make the catch with his back to home plate.

Wilson covers ground until there's none left

Forced to run a long way with the shift on, Springfield third baseman Jacob Wilson sprinted from shortstop to chase down a Jon Singleton pop up, reaching into the stands to make the catch before flipping into the first row.

Crawford's crazy play in the hole

Freeman's behind-the-back flip

Sometimes you don't have time to do things the traditional way. I-Cubs second baseman Mike Freeman knew he had only one shot to get the runner after fielding a soft bloop just past the pitcher's mound.

Peterson thinks gloves are overrated

When Gwinnett second baseman Jace Peterson found himself turned around in center field, some 40 feet beyond the infield dirt, he was left with only one option to snag this pop up from Charlotte's Rymer Liriano.

Profar proves elusive at the plate

Tavarez disregards his own safety

Pawtucket's Aneury Tavarez had no desire to let his long run into foul territory go to waste, sliding hard into the wall to make a great catch before the fence fought back against the 175-pound outfielder.

Salt Lake third baseman Nolan Fontana used his speed as much as his power to earn his MiLBY award, ripping a ball into left-center field and racing around the bases for a walk-off inside-the-park home run against Iowa on May 13.Full story »

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Fontana runs 360 feet for walk-off

Salt Lake third baseman Nolan Fontana didn't need to leave the yard to cross home plate with the winning run, taking advantage of a pair of tangled Iowa outfielders to give the Bees a walk-off win.

Barfield wins game in grand fashion

It's not often you come to the plate with a three-run deficit and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, and Portland's Jeremy Barfield made sure not to waste the opportunity, even after looking silly on consecutive off-speed pitches to dig himself an 0-2 hole.

Andreoli ends perfecto with walk-off blast

Colorado Springs starter Angel Ventura entered the seventh inning perfect in a 0-0 game. Iowa's John Andreoli ended Ventura's unblemished night in a big way to lead off the bottom of frame to win the game.

Howard serves up a blast from the past

Walker whacks one 458 feet

After homering earlier in the game against Round Rock, Reno's Christian Walker showed off the prodigious power that helped him push for the Minor League home run lead by crushing a ball out of the park down the left-field line.

Garcia puts Redbirds on brink of title

Memphis' Jose Adolis Garcia crushed a pitch onto the hill beyond the left-field fence in the 11th inning, breaking a scoreless tie and giving the Redbirds a commanding 2-0 lead over El Paso in the Pacific Coast League Finals.

Jimenez evokes 'The Natural'

Calhoun's second homer is game-ending slam

If there were a short list of players that pitchers don't want to see come to bat with a three-run lead and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Round Rock's Willie Calhoun might be near the top -- especially when he's already homered in the game.

Law gets 'Gades started off right

With Game 1 of the New York-Penn League semifinals in the 13th inning, Zacrey Law launched a three-run, walk-off homer down the left-field line to end a long night at Dutchess Stadium and give Hudson Valley an early boost toward its first NYPL title since 2012.

Alex Jones got some assistance on his second home run of the season for the Class A Grasshoppers. A ball that bounced off a pair of Kannapolis outfielders -- or did it? -- was voted by fans as the Best Blooper of 2017.Full story »

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Jones hits a carom shot

Greensboro catcher Alex Jones has two homers in 55 career Minor League games. The one that occurred May 28 seemingly got an assist from not just one, but two well-meaning Kannapolis outfielders.

Avery literally goes down swinging

Behold, the wind-blown balk

Salt Lake righty Troy Scribner was unable to keep his balance when a gust of wind blew through the Bees infield, leading to a balk. Despite the setback, the 190-pound hurler went on to pick up the win.